Baked pasta dishes include lasagne and
cannelloni, which we cover elsewhere. The
baked dishes here are the home classics. The original maccheroni and
cheese with variations is the most common example.

With the tendency to more lighter
preparations, the baked dishes are not as popular as they once were. That's a pity, for
with excellent ingredients and well-made and well-cooked pastas, they are
truly rewarding in taste and presentation.

And they are not difficult. The basic
procedure is to cook pasta until almost al dente. Put the pasta and the
sauce or other ingredients (just the cheese for example) in a baking dish,
and bake for 15-20 minutes. Presto!